Dallachy's ghost gum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dallachy's ghost gum |
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| Corymbia dallachiana in coastal Central Queensland | |
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Corymbia
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dallachiana
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Dallachy's ghost gum, also called Dallachy's gum, is a special type of tree. Its scientific name is Corymbia dallachiana. This tree only grows in Queensland, Australia. It has smooth bark and long, thin leaves. Its flowers are white and grow in groups of three. After flowering, it produces fruit that looks like a small cup or barrel.
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About Dallachy's Ghost Gum
Dallachy's ghost gum is a tree that usually grows up to 15 m (49 ft) tall. Sometimes it can grow even taller. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the tree regrow if it gets damaged, for example, by a bushfire.
Bark and Leaves
The bark of this tree is smooth. It can be white, cream, or even a bit pinkish. The bark peels off in thin pieces. Sometimes, the very bottom of the trunk has a short section of rough, grey bark.
Young plants have leathery leaves that are shaped like an egg or a spear. These leaves can be 100–260 mm (3.9–10.2 in) long and 35–150 mm (1.4–5.9 in) wide. They have a stalk, which is called a petiole.
The adult leaves are green on both sides. They are long and narrow, like a spear, or slightly curved. They measure 93–270 mm (3.7–10.6 in) long and 9–34 mm (0.35–1.34 in) wide. Each adult leaf also has a petiole, which is 12–38 mm (0.47–1.50 in) long.
Flowers and Fruit
The flowers of Dallachy's ghost gum grow in groups. They appear where the leaves meet the stem, which is called the axil. Each group of flowers grows on a small stalk, or peduncle, up to 3 mm (0.12 in) long. Each branch of this stalk usually has three flower buds. These buds are on even smaller stalks called pedicels, which are 1–6 mm (0.039–0.236 in) long.
When the buds are ready to open, they look like small pears. They are 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide. The top part of the bud, which covers the flower, is rounded. This cover is called an operculum.
Dallachy's ghost gum has been seen flowering in November and December. Its flowers are white. After the flowers, the tree produces woody fruit. These fruits are shaped like a cup, cylinder, or barrel. They are 9–13 mm (0.35–0.51 in) long and 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) wide. The parts that release the seeds are usually hidden inside the fruit or are level with its rim.
How it Got its Name
Dallachy's ghost gum was first officially described in 1867. A botanist named George Bentham gave it the name Eucalyptus tessellaris var. dallachiana. He wrote about it in a book called Flora Australiensis.
Later, in 1995, two other botanists, Kenneth Hill and Lawrence Alexander Sidney Johnson, changed its name. They decided it was a separate species and called it Corymbia dallachiana. They published this new name in a science journal called Telopea. The second part of its scientific name, dallachiana, honors a person named John Dallachy.
Where it Lives
Dallachy's ghost gum grows in open woodlands with grass. You can find it on flat plains and along the banks of creeks. It grows in Queensland, Australia. Its range stretches from Coen to Jericho in the west, and from Bathurst Bay in the north down to Rockhampton and Emerald in the south.
Conservation Status
The Queensland Government has a law called the Nature Conservation Act 1992. Under this law, Dallachy's ghost gum is listed as being of "least concern." This means that the tree is not currently at risk of disappearing. There are plenty of these trees in the wild.
See also
In Spanish: Corymbia dallachiana para niños
